The Washington critic., 1887-04-28
WASHINGTON. APRIL as, 1887.
OUR "CIyIL PUBLIC woRKs"-a
NEW DEPARTMENT.


of simplifying the administrative ma.
chinery of the Government, which,
with the rapid growth Of the country,
has become cumbrous and compli.
Gated.
Especial reference is had to what he
designaies the "Civil Public Works"
of the Government, including the Coast
and Geodclic Survey, the Geological
Survey, the Improvement of Rivers
and llarbors, the Survey Of the Public
Lands, The lighthouse Bureau, the
Agricultural Depumyui, the National
Observatory Purllc Buildings, the
Weather Bureau, the Fish Commits.
sion, the Patent Office and the Inspec-
tion of Steamboats,.
Examining these bureaus separately,
says General Smith. IL will he found
that with several "tbe limits of duties
are loosely laid down, causing an over
tapping of jurisdiction, which brings
about, in many cases, duplication of
work, and cugenders between rival
bureaus strife aud uuseemfy snatching
for the Congressional appropriations"
This is very true. Ii is probably also
true, as stated further on, that there
does not appear to be bureau under
the General Government, having charge
of civil public works, in which the
methods of appointment or admins.
tration cannot be improved in the d..
rection of economy and efficiency"
The remedy proposed is a reduction
in the number of these bureaus and
their consolidation into a new executive
department, with secretary at its
Lead corresponding in the functions of
lis office with the French Minister of
Public Works.
The reorganization suggested would
make one bureau of the Patent Office,
taking 1t out of the Interior Depart
ment, and another of the Public Build
ings system, Independent of the Treas
ury Department. 1t would continue
the Agricultural Bureau with the Fish
Commission added; combine the super
vision of railroads and the inspection
of hulls and boilers in one; put together
the meteorological, life saving and
lighthouse service; make one bureau
of the work of the National Obser.
vatory and all the different surveys, and
another dealing exclusively with the
improvement of rivers and harbors,
thus substituting seven for the twelve
or fourteen bureaus now existing and
placing them all under one adminlstra-
tive head
Whether this would be the best or
even wise readjustment is likely to
prove debatable question: but no one
can dispute the general proposition
that greater efficiency, accompanied by
fewer disturbing political elements and
less dickering about appropriations in
Congress, would be the result of sim.
pier and more systematic methods of
administration,
1t should be possible to effect the re-
forms desired without the necessity of
creating another executive department,
but the system Of civil public works in
France is doubtless safe model to
pattern from, or at least to be guided
by, In what as yet is only matter of
curious speculation towards which the
FIRST prac tical step remains to be taken
The further proposition may be ac.
cepted also that all measures of reform
which promise not only greater efll-
cheney and honesty, but greater trained
ability in the various special branches
of the public service, embraced within
the administrative bureaus referred TO-,
must be in the interest of science, agri-
culture and commerce-the welfare of
the people and the promotion of good
government.
JUSTICE Murray of the Essex Marke,
Police Court of New York interprets
the Penal Code which prohibits all
labor on Sunday, excepting works oi
necessity or charity" as having no ap,
plication TO barber shops. Getting
shaved on Sunday is necessity" says
the Judge; "a man feels better after
getting shaved 1t is beneficial to
health" and the representatives of the
BARRIERS Union who wanted all the
BARRIERS arrested who kept open shor
last Sunday were Informed that they
could get no warrants Of him. That,
awse and righteous decision whicl
the BARRIERS Unions everywhere nigh
take into prayerful and profitable con
sideralion.
IT appears from the evidence of Mr.
G. p. Huntington, given before tht
Pacific Railway Commission yesterday
that over $4,000 were paid out By
the Central Pacific Railroad Company
for illegal expenses" between 1874 and
1885, or about 5000 900 n year, thC
bulk Of this being dlsbursed at Wash
ingtop, through General Francho
and Colonel Sheriff., for explanatory
purposes. Mr.. Huntingdon appears t
regard it as perfectly legitimate cx
penditure, and there Is no doubt tha
Congress was always in receptiv,
mood whenever there were any "cX
planatlops" to be offered.
The New York Nal aad Espre3s 1
not ayerse TO an extra session of Con
gress, but wants to know what gooC
would come out of 1t. almost none,
1t says. "The Democrats are disunited
leaderless, incompetent, careless of tn
public welfare, jealous and distrustfu
Of all that is best among them. Wha
is Ethe. use Of calling together such
crowd and asking them to make intelll